GTA Online plagued by server issues – solo session workaround is best way get online

UPDATE: I have finally gotten online for a prolonged period of time. The easiest way to get online appears to be by loading the story mode, going on to the start menu, selecting play online and then solo session. Once you have logged into a solo game (this may take several retrys) you can then elect to open the game up to random players and friends. Find another workaround for getting online? Let us know in the comments section below.

GTA Online has officially been live for 7 hours.

Thus far, I have been able to play the much hyped and highly anticipated online portion for around fifteen minutes.

In between crashes, lock-ups and the Rockstar cloud servers being unavailable for large amounts of time, I was able to create a character, be escorted from the airport to downtown Los Santos and participate in a street race with five other players before being unceremoniously dumped back to the title screen.

From speaking to other gamers and from my own experience, the best way to currently get into the game is to start the game in story mode and attempt to log into GTA Online from the start menu. At this point, choose the play online option before opting for a solo session.

Attempting to log in in this way will bring up an error message with an option to retry joining an online game relatively quickly and as a result, is less maddening and has a greater chance of success than the other ways you might join an online game.

Navigating to the fourth slot on the character wheel or booting into GTA online from the title screen appear to cause crashes more frequently and as such, the previously mentioned method of logging in the multiplayer is a better shot at beating the server queues and getting to play the game.

Whilst Rockstar were keen to stress that there would be launch day growing pains with the title, it is no less disappointing to find GTA online currently unplayable.

Rockstar have also stated that they are working on adding additional servers for the game as well as finding fixes for the multitude of issues that are currently plaguing GTA Online.